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| Other Scouting organizations, including Cub Scouting's counterpart for older boys, Boy Scouts, use a variation known as the ]. | Other Scouting organizations, including Cub Scouting's counterpart for older boys, Boy Scouts, use a variation known as the ]. | ||
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| ] do two fingers to]] | |||
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| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 13:56, 20 February 2007
The two-fingers salute is a salute given using only the middle and index fingers, while bending the other fingers at the second knuckle, and with the palm facing the signer. This salute is used by Polish military and uniformed services and by Cub Scouts.
Two-fingers salute in Poland
The salute is only possible while wearing a hat with the emblem of the Polish eagle. The salute is performed with the middle and index fingers extended and touching each other, while the ring and little fingers are bent and touched by the thumb. The tips of the middle and index fingers touch the peak of the cap. You only point to the Polish national emblem-the White Eagle on the military hat or rogatywka; two fingers mean: Honor i Ojczyzna ( Honour and Fatherland )
The two-fingers salute appeared in Polish military forces probably before or during the Napoleonic wars, or Kościuszko's uprising in 1794. Legends attributing creation of the salute to the Battle of Olszynka Grochowska during November's insurrection 1830-1831 are apparently inaccurate since at an earlier time than this, the Tsar's Viceroy in Poland Grand Duke Constantine was reported to say that "Poles salute him with two fingers because in the other three they are holding a stone ready to throw at him". All legends, however, attribute the two-fingers salute to an incident when a soldier saluted his superior (most legends specify a general) with a wounded hand, from which his ring and little fingers had been detached as a result of a shrapnel explosion. In remembrance all Poles salute using only two fingers.
The two-fingers salute is said to have caused problems for Polish units serving with the Allies on the western front during World War II. Allied officers thought that Polish soldiers saluting with two fingers were deliberately being disrespectful (or intoxicated) when giving them what they saw as a Cub Scout's salute. As a result many soldiers were arrested, until the misunderstanding could be explained. This led to the temporary use of the full hand salute when saluting foreign officers.
Cub Scouts' two-fingers salute
Cub Scouts also salute with two fingers to represent the two rules of the Cub Scout law. Scouts salute by touching their caps, while Poles touch the sides of their cap's visors; Cub Scouts salute to their brow when uncovered, while Poles do not salute uncovered (they point at the emblem). Interestingly, the Polish Cub Scouts do not use the two-fingers salute, and salute by shaking their heads or by touching their Cub Scout Badge on their breast.
Other Scouting organizations, including Cub Scouting's counterpart for older boys, Boy Scouts, use a variation known as the three-finger salute.